Homemade Granola Bars!

Happy morning friends & family!

I’m sharing one of my newfound favorite snack recipes on the blog today! I make a conscious effort to keep the kitchen filled with plenty of easy grab & go snack foods for the girls & our little firefly boy. We stay well stocked with things like fresh fruit, cheese, crackers & nuts, but who doesn’t love a good slightly sweet, slightly salty granola bar? I have found the perfect combination of nutritious & delicious goodness in this very basic recipe. These bars are an excellent choice for breakfast bites on the way to the bus stop, an after school snack or a pregame energy boost. The kids, the hubs & even the chickens love these munchies & I think your family will too! Give it a try & feel free to substitute or add in your favorite dried fruits, seeds or nuts. Enjoy!

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS

½ stick of unsalted butter

3 cups whole oats

½ cup chopped almonds (or any other nut choice - I do almonds)

¼ cup flax seeds (or any other small seed choice – I prefer flax)

½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (I use dried blueberries too)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup honey (Buy local if possible just because it’s the right thing to do)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ripe banana

2 Tablespoons almond butter

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease 9x13-inch baking pan w/ coconut oil or butter.

Combine oats, almonds, dried berries, flaxseeds, cinnamon & salt in large bowl. Mix. Melt butter with honey & vanilla in saucepan on stovetop. Stir well.

Puree banana & almond butter in blender or food processor.

Pour honey & butter mixture onto banana & almond butter & process little longer.

Add lemon juice & egg whites to processor & blend for about 1 more minute.

Pour banana concoction over top of oat mixture in bowl & combine all ingredients.

Once mixture is completely coated & well mixed, spread into baking pan.

Press mixture into baking pan firmly with back of large spoon.

Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove & let cool.

Cut into bars & eat immediately after completely cooled OR for a more “dried granola bar texture” wait 24 hours & then transfer bars to airtight container. Can be stored for up to 1 month!

Woohoo! Hope you love them as much as we do!